Greetings Seawell Seahawk Families,

I hope that everyone has remembered to "spring forward" as we move into what will hopefully be a warmer Spring season later in the month. This month our school is focusing on good judgement.

"Good judgment is making wise choices and decisions based on what is right. You are using good judgment when you think about all of the information and consequences of your actions before you make a decision/choice. Information you use to make a decision can include the size of the problem, the thoughts and feelings of others, your own emotional state, and the setting you are in.

Here is a choice board that has been shared with our learning community to use that you might find helpful as well.

Ms. Jackson is spearheading the work around this trait and is using her class lessons and teachable moments to bring about clarity and proactive thinking/actions. In my twenty plus years in education the stretch between February and Spring Break can be quite challenging for all stakeholders. This is a time when the expectations and rigor begin to rise for students and they are feeling the call of warmer weather. We have to remind them that they have the tools to navigate this growth and/or frustration successfully by practicing good judgement before making a choice or decision.

Our amazing teachers, instructional assistants, support staff, cafeteria staff, custodial staff, student support team and volunteers are also working to build capacity and help our students grow in this area as well. We appreciate your partnership with us as work to have a productive three weeks before Spring Break.

• Join the PTA for just $10 per person or sponsor a Seawell teacher or staff member for only $5 by clicking on the MemberHub link. As a PTA member there is no obligation to attend the PTA meetings or volunteer. We welcome other family members too, such as grandparents, to become PTA members, too!

• Let's get the Seawell community together on March 18, 2023 for the Public School Foundation 5K for Education! This event brings together members of the entire Chapel Hill-Carrboro school district. The Seawell PTA is looking for a teacher or parent representative to help promote the event. Please email ptaseawell@gmail.com if you are interested. If you’d like to run or walk with your family, please register for the event here.

• Register for the St. Patrick’s Day Dance on Friday, March 17. K-2 students will dance in the Seawell Cafeteria and grades 3-5 students will dance in the Seawell Gym, each with their own kids DJ, lights & glow accessories to enjoy! Sign-In and Drop off is 6:00-6:15 pm. Parent Pickup is 7:45-8:00 pm.

Parents, please register your child here: https://seawell.memberhub.com/store?limit=21&live=true&category=School%20Events

-Online Registration will close at 7:00 pm on Thursday, March 16, but in-person registration with cash payment will be available at the dance.

-Parent volunteer sign-up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0a4fada628abfc1-volunteer#/

• Save the date! Seawell Elementary’s Read-A-Thon returns Saturday March 18th to Sunday March 26th! We are excited to bring you this long-running Seawell tradition, with a few small changes to fit this unique school year. While it will still be a PTA fundraiser, with every dollar we raise staying right here at Seawell to help our wonderful teachers, the focus will be on celebrating reading in our school community. And yes, there will still be prizes up for grabs, so get your kids ready to read, read, read! Learn more about it here.

• Elections for family representatives for the Seawell School Improvement Team (SIT) are upon us. Please consider nominating yourself, or talk to one of your friends or neighbors about taking part in this important committee. The deadline for applying for the SIT is MAY 2, 2022 for both electronic and paper submission. Applications can be submitted via email (mjhuchko@gmail.com), via this form, or mailed to Seawell. For paper applications, date the application must be mailed/postmarked by March 20.

Women's History Month

Seawell had 1 positive COVID-19 case during the week of March 6- March 10.

CHCCS encourages eligible students and staff to get an updated COVID-19 booster. The updated bivalent booster is now available for people 12 and older (two months after they finish their primary series or any booster dose). It offers the most up-to-date protection against the latest Omicron variants. The booster, like all COVID-19 vaccines, is safe to get alongside your annual flu vaccine. The CDC also recommends a third dose for children 5 to 11 who have compromised immune systems. Click on these links for vaccination locations and more information on COVID-19 boosters

Families, please be sure to follow the following guidelines :

• Masks: In general, CHCCS remains a mask-recommended, but optional district. Masks continue to be provided for students and staff upon request. Exceptions to this protocol are outlined on our website as well as the below paragraph about COVID-19 positive staff/students.
• Also: Schools will no longer require masking in the entire building when there are clusters of 5+ positive cases in a small group or a cumulative total of 15+ positive cases in a school. More on this below.
• Symptomatic Staff/Students - Will be required to provide*:
• A negative PCR COVID-19 test, or
• 2 negative Antigen (Rapid) tests separated 24 hours apart in order to return to work/school, or
• An alternative diagnosis from a primary care provider.
• *This is not for individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19. This is to prove that the COVID-like symptoms being experienced are not COVID-19. Individuals who choose not to test for COVID-19 or get an alternative diagnosis from their primary care provider are required to follow the COVID-19 positive staff/students guidance.
• COVID-19 positive Staff/Students - Must quarantine for 5 days and can return on day 6 as long as they are free of vomiting, diarrhea, and fever without the use of medication and all COVID-19 like symptoms are improving (they do not need to be resolved). The individual needs to continue to wear a mask at work/school while indoors for an additional 5 days after returning. Please contact our school nurse for additional information and guidance on returning to work/school.

March 13 - PreK/Kindergarten Registration Event at Kidzu Museum

This event will give families the opportunity to learn about our programs and meet program staff.

Date: Monday, March 13, 2023 from 4 - 7 PM

Location: Kidzu Museum in the University Place Mall in Chapel Hill

Flyer: Kidzu Pre-K/K Registration Flyer - 2023

March 17 - Student Dance - 6:00-8:00pm

Pre-K Registration January 17-March 17

• Open Enrollment Period is now (January 17 - March 17)

• Pre-K Application 2023-24 - English can be submitted:

• Via email - prekapplications@chccs.k12.nc.us

• In-Person via scheduling appointment - Pre-K Application Appointment

March 23 - K-5 Spring Curriculum Night - 5:30-6:30pm

This event is new for Seawell and will include individual classroom presentations about curriculum or activities to deepen your understanding about the work that your child is completing. More info will be shared closer to the date.

5:30-Classroom session 1

6:00-Classroom session 2 (Repeat of session 1)

March 25 - College and Career Fair at Carrboro High School

The Equity and Engagement Office is sponsoring a college and career fair for our Black and Latinx students in grades 10th, 11th, and 12th.

This event will be held on Saturday, March 25th from 10:00am - 2:00pm at Carrboro High School .

Here is the Black and Latinx College Experience Showcase flyer

March 30 End of the Third Quarter

March 31 Teacher Workday

April 3-7 Spring Break

This section will now periodically highlight clothing items found around our campus so that parents can alert their children to reclaim what was once lost! All clothing/items pictured can be found in the Lost and Found section of our cafeteria.

Lonely Jackets @ Seawell ES

Seawell Library Newsletter - Winter 2023

Check out what has been happening in the Seawell Library!!

Draft 2 of Proposed 2023 K-12 Science Standards

The NC State Board of Education Standard Course of Study Manual specifies that the NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) will formally collect feedback from educators, administrators, parents, students, institutions of higher education, business/industry representatives, national organizations, and other education agencies on each draft of the revised K-12 Science Standards.

The purpose of this survey is to obtain input from all stakeholders regarding the 2nd Draft of the proposed 2023 K-12 Science Standards and to inform any additional revisions, which may include changes, clarifications, additions, deletions, or replacements to the draft standards.

The survey will close at 11:59pm on Sunday, March 26, 2023

Draft 2 of the Proposed 2023 K-12 Science Standards Survey

Science DPI Update

Please call Seawell at 919.967.4343 ext 33200 or email Evelin Escobar eescobar@chccs.k12.nc.us to report absences and tardies.

Educational leave for students must be requested at least ten days in advance utilizing this form.

We are now able to have parent volunteers in our learning spaces again! In order to assist you with this process, please access the volunteer registration link . Note that you must go through the district volunteer process in order to chaperone filed trips, but not before beginning to actively volunteer in your child's classroom/school.